Raging in Caribbean, Hurricane Ian causes cruise cancellations, extensions and reroutes

Cruise lines are canceling voyages and adjusting their routes as Hurricane Ian tears through the Caribbean and heads toward Florida.

The Port of Tampa Bay and Jacksonville’s JaxPort are closed to maritime traffic, causing cruise lines to make changes. Carnival Cruise Line announced on Tuesday afternoon that it was canceling the Sept. 29 cruise on the Carnival Paradise from Tampa, as well as the Sept. 29 sailing from Jacksonville. Passengers will be issued a full refund plus a 25% future cruise credit. Hurricane Ian is expected to make landfall in west-central Florida in the early hours of Thursday, Sept. 29.

Many cruise lines in the Caribbean have shifted their itineraries west to avoid islands in the Caribbean that are getting hit by the storm.

Carnival Cruise Line said that the current sailing on the Carnival Paradise, which left on Sept. 24 from the Port of Tampa Bay, will be extended until the port reopens after Hurricane Ian has passed. Carnival Elation, which left Jaxport on Sept. 24, is changing its itinerary around the Bahamas to avoid the storm and will remain at sea until JaxPort reopens. Carnival cruises that left from Miami, Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans are rerouting their ports of call to avoid the storm.

Central Florida-based Disney Cruise Line said on Monday that there was a possibility that one of its cruises, the Disney Wish, would have to extend its time at sea due to the storm. The Disney Wish is currently scheduled to return to its home port of Port Canaveral on Friday, Sept. 30.

Royal Caribbean is adjusting several of its Caribbean routes that are currently underway. The Mariner of the Seas, which skipped a scheduled port of call in Labadee, Haiti, is scheduled to return to Port Canaveral on Thursday, Sept. 29, when it may be closed due to the storm.

Norwegian Cruise Line only had to adjust one itinerary on the Norwegian Sky, which will now go to Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands, instead of Grand Cayman, Honduras, Belize and Mexico.